Chris M Steel

Ernie Feeney has advanced her usual good ideas in proposing to restrict campaign signs (in Costa Mesa). Yet wouldn't it be even better to have candidates, at least at the council level, voluntarily sign a pledge not to use any signs? Candidates do and should have freedom of speech. However, signs from a candidate's perspective are expensive, a hassle and a constant worry about theft, damage, legality, clutter and blight. Candidates who won't sign or later break the pledge should receive adverse publicity and be shunned and opposed by the electorate and the media.

Illegal immigration, crime and drugs are the most important issues facing the United States, Orange County and especially Costa Mesa. Although Costa Mesa is only eighth in population among the 31 Orange County cities, it has been No. 1 per capita in property crime the past four years, according to the FBI and the California Justice Department. As illegal aliens are now one-third of our residents, there is an increase in gang members, drug use, overcrowded schools, white flight and lower test scores and property values.

Does the H in H. Ross Perot stand for hypocritical--or is it horrendous? Most candidates would give just about anything for the loyalty, enthusiasm, adroitness and vast number of Perot's volunteers. They sacrificed much to be so let down by his cruelty. Phony Perot had no elective experience, no political affiliation, no specific agenda, no viable method to get elected and no reliable philosophy to govern sensibly. Perhaps there is a blessing in his betrayal. Hopefully the electorate will soon realize that the best chance for real change from the D.C. gridlock is to oust the status quo, anti-reform, no-win policies of our liberal Congress.

The financially troubled and overcrowded Newport-Mesa Unified School District is looking at Costa Mesa's commercial projects for tax revenues. The district should look first, if not solely, at the City Council's liberal housing, welfare and employment policies that have unnaturally force-fed our overcrowding. These well-intentioned but negative programs are HUD block grants, the low-success Job Center, excess rentals, subsidized housing, developer density bonuses and direct aid to charities, however worthy, that refuse to screen out non-city residents and non-U.

Illegal immigration, crime and drugs are the most important issues facing the United States, Orange County and especially Costa Mesa. Although Costa Mesa is only eighth in population among the 31 Orange County cities, it has been No. 1 per capita in property crime the past four years, according to the FBI and the California Justice Department. As illegal aliens are now one-third of our residents, there is an increase in gang members, drug use, overcrowded schools, white flight and lower test scores and property values.

The financially troubled and overcrowded Newport-Mesa Unified School District is looking at Costa Mesa's commercial projects for tax revenues. The district should look first, if not solely, at the City Council's liberal housing, welfare and employment policies that have unnaturally force-fed our overcrowding. These well-intentioned but negative programs are HUD block grants, the low-success Job Center, excess rentals, subsidized housing, developer density bonuses and direct aid to charities, however worthy, that refuse to screen out non-city residents and non-U.

Unfortunately, illegal aliens are overwhelming some of our parks and neighborhoods in Costa Mesa. I greatly sympathize with the plight of these undocumented workers, however, since the new federal immigration law won't take effect for a year, if ever, our City Council can and must do what is reasonable to protect our legal residents' property rights and environment. The council should not subsidize or encourage illegal aliens to live here by approving more dense rentals, which are an unhealthy 60% of our housing.

If you are like me and have a deep appreciation for and a recognition of the importance of history, science and education, then you must be quite upset about the loss of 17 marked boxes of fossils that had been unearthed at a Costa Mesa reservoir. ("Fossils Dumped Out With Trash Mistakenly," Sept. 13.) The collection was being stored at the closed Lindbergh Elementary School in Newport Beach. What was communicated to those workers who removed and trashed those marked boxes? By whom, how and why were these particular workers hired?

Tom Fuentes, Orange County Republican chairman, is taking a bum rap on the alleged intimidation of Santa Ana Hispanic voters by uniformed security guards. For sure, mistakes were made, in spite of good intentions, to ensure that only legally registered citizens vote. However, Tom intended no harm and none actually occurred to those of his heritage. Legal residents do not nor need not feel intimidated by harmless, honest signs. As a past member of the Central Committee, I, for confidential reasons, would not have supported Tom for chairman.

Does the H in H. Ross Perot stand for hypocritical--or is it horrendous? Most candidates would give just about anything for the loyalty, enthusiasm, adroitness and vast number of Perot's volunteers. They sacrificed much to be so let down by his cruelty. Phony Perot had no elective experience, no political affiliation, no specific agenda, no viable method to get elected and no reliable philosophy to govern sensibly. Perhaps there is a blessing in his betrayal. Hopefully the electorate will soon realize that the best chance for real change from the D.C. gridlock is to oust the status quo, anti-reform, no-win policies of our liberal Congress.

Ernie Feeney has advanced her usual good ideas in proposing to restrict campaign signs (in Costa Mesa). Yet wouldn't it be even better to have candidates, at least at the council level, voluntarily sign a pledge not to use any signs? Candidates do and should have freedom of speech. However, signs from a candidate's perspective are expensive, a hassle and a constant worry about theft, damage, legality, clutter and blight. Candidates who won't sign or later break the pledge should receive adverse publicity and be shunned and opposed by the electorate and the media.

Unfortunately, illegal aliens are overwhelming some of our parks and neighborhoods in Costa Mesa. I greatly sympathize with the plight of these undocumented workers, however, since the new federal immigration law won't take effect for a year, if ever, our City Council can and must do what is reasonable to protect our legal residents' property rights and environment. The council should not subsidize or encourage illegal aliens to live here by approving more dense rentals, which are an unhealthy 60% of our housing.